Feb 8, 2023 · Diagnosis: characteristic Gram stain (filamentous or beaded branching rods) in tissue or sulfur granule with radiating Gram-positive bacilli seen on histopathology or exudate or in culture. Otherwise, Actinomyces may be part of routine oral …

Prolonged bacterial cultures in anaerobic conditions are necessary for identification of the bacterium, and typical microscopic findings include necrosis with yellowish sulfur granules and filamentous Gram-positive fungal-like pathogen.

In severe cases, they may penetrate the surrounding bone and muscle to the skin, where they break open and leak large amounts of pus, which often contains characteristic granules filled with progeny bacteria. These granules are often called "sulfur granules" due to their yellow appearance, although they may also be white, gray or brown.

Gram stain of aspirate from oral abscess (x1000). Actinomyces frequently grows in aggregates, termed "sulfur granules." Note the branching, gram-positive filaments on the edge of this granule. Actinomyces is a fastidious obligate anaerobe requiring anaerobic culture.

Aug 7, 2023 · The most common microscopic finding is necrosis of yellowish sulfur granules and the filamentous gram-positive bacteria. The most appropriate specimen is a tissue biopsy of the infected site or pus. For better results, the clinician should note their suspicion for the infection to the microbiologist or pathologist.

In pus and tissues, the most characteristic form is the sulfur granule (Figure 28–2). This yellow-orange granule, named for its gross resemblance to a grain of sulfur, is a microcolony of intertwined branching Actinomyces filaments solidified with elements of tissue exudate.

Dec 1, 2024 · These granules are carefully separated from pus or other specimens and collected from draining sinuses. The sulfur granules are then crushed between two slides and stained using either Gram or Ziehl–Neelsen staining methods, with 1% sulfuric acid used for decolorization.

Microscopically, Actinomyces appears as distinctive "sulfur" granules (rounded or spherical particles, usually yellowish, and ≤ 1 mm in diameter) or as tangled masses of branched and unbranched wavy bacterial filaments.

Actinomycosis is suggested by a suppurative lesion with Gram-positive filaments in the exudate. Sulfur granules may be present. The diagnosis of actinomycosis and other infections involving Actinomyces, including those in compromised patients is …

Surgical pathology revealed granulation tissue with actinomycotic granules, with no evidence of malignancy (Figures 1 and 2). Gram stain revealed few WBCs but no organisms. Microbiology cultures grew rare Staphylococcus epidermidis, and light growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.